Bucks’ Adrian Griffin excited to begin head coaching career with contender

MILWAUKEE(AP) — Adrian Griffin understands the responsibility that comeswith taking over a title contender as a first-time head coach.

“Let’s bereal,” Griffin said Tuesday during his introductory news conferenceas theMilwaukeeBucks’ coach.What first-time head coach gets to coach theMilwaukee Bucks, with all the special talent on this team? I’mextremely humbled.”

The Buckswent against the grain by selecting Griffin, who spent the lastfive seasons as an assistant with Toronto. He replaces MikeBudenholzer, who led Milwaukee to the league’s best regular-seasonrecord butgotfiredafter afirst-roundplayoff lossto Miami.

Six teamshave made coaching changes since the end of the regular season. TheBucks are the lone team thus far to pick someone without headcoaching experience.

ThePhiladelphia 76ers choseformerToronto Raptors coach Nick Nurse,the Houston Rocketsselectedex-BostonCeltics coach Ime Udoka, and the Detroit PistonshiredformerPhoenix Suns coach Monty Williams.PhoenixhiredFrankVogelfor his fourth NBA coaching job. Toronto stillhasn’t filled its vacancy.

Bucks generalmanager Jon Horst said Griffin’s background as an NBA player andassistant over the last two decades made him an ideal candidate.Horst cited a comment from his assistant general manager.

“Milt Newtonsaid throughout this process after we met with Adrian, ‘Adrian’s ahead coach. He just hasn’t gotten the opportunity yet,’” Horstrecalled.

Griffin, whoturns 49 on July 4, already is taking steps to address his lack ofexperience. He confirmed Tuesday that his staff willincludeTerryStotts,who spent 13 seasons as an NBA head coach,including a two-year stint with Milwaukee from 2005-07.

“To get a guylike Terry is a home run,” Griffin said. “He brings unbelievableexperience.”

Griffin wasan undrafted swingman from Seton Hall who ended upplayingeight seasons in theNBAafter toiling in lesser leagues. He hasspent15 years as an NBAassistantsince the end of his playing career.

He now stepsinto a big opportunity with expectations to match.

The Bucksfired Budenholzer just two years after he led Milwaukee to itsfirst NBA championship in half a century. The Bucks posted theNBA’s top regular-season record in three of Budenholzer’s fiveseasons but, with the exception of 2021, theycouldn’tmatch that success in the playoffs.

Griffin takesover a talent-laden roster led by two-time MVP GiannisAntetokounmpo. Griffin spoke to Antetokounmpo before he was hiredand said he felt like they connected and that they have similarvalues.

“Yes, we havehigh expectations, but we’re going to embrace them,” Griffin said.“But it starts by getting to work. Never lose sight of the workinvolved. I think going undrafted and going the minor league route,it taught me the value of hard work. That’s what we’re going tobuild upon from day one.”

Griffin wason Toronto’s staff when the Raptors won the 2019 championship. Oneyear later came a development that could have hindered his shot atbecoming a head coach.

Griffin’sex-wife, Audrey Sterling, accused him in an August 2020 socialmedia post of physically abusing her and failing to pay childsupport. Griffin filed a defamation suit a year later that wassettled last September.

The initialcomplaint filed by Griffin included statements posted on socialmedia by two of their children supporting him and denying theirmother’s allegations.

Griffin saidWednesday he couldn’t get into the details of the litigation butnoted that he “absolutely denied” his ex-wife’s accusations andpointed out he was the one who filed the defamation lawsuit. Horstsaid the Bucks researched the issue and cited a review the Raptorshad conducted in collaboration with the NBA.

“It was clearand determined the accusations were just unfounded,” Horst said. “Ican tell you beyond that, just the multiple conversations I’ve hadwith Adrian and others had with him, in each case his comments werejust really heartfelt and sincere. Ultimately, we believe him andbelieve in him, and the person of high character that he is.Everyone that we spoke to felt the same. It gave us a ton ofexcitement and confidence in making the hire, even though we wereaware of those allegations.”

Griffin nowis back in the place where he began his coaching career.

After gettingtraded to Milwaukee in the summer of 2008, Griffin stayed with theBucks throughout training camp before getting a call from coachScott Skiles at the start of the season. Griffin hadn’t made theteam but got an offer to join Skiles’ staff.

Griffin hasbeen coaching ever since. He now rejoins Horst, who was the Bucks’director of basketball operations in 2008.

“It’s funnyhow life works,” Griffin said. “Everything has come fullcircle.”